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Gavin Andresen Pens Open Letter to “Satoshi” Newsweek Journalist

Gavin Andresen, chief scientist at the Bitcoin foundation, penned an open letter to Leah McGrath Goodman, the journalist who has purportedly discovered the true identity of Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto and revealed in a Newsweek exclusive. Andresen’s disappointment, widely shared by the Bitcoin community, is that Goodman chose to publish photos of Nakamoto’s house, names of his family members, and other personal details that openly revealed how to track down this man.

I meant exactly what I tweeted: I am disappointed you (or your publishers) chose to publish enough personal information that people can easily find Dorian and his family.

The pieces might all be public information, but you worked really hard to piece them all together, and the crazy people who might decide it is a good idea to go visit “Satoshi” are likely not as smart or hard-working as you.

And all of your evidence is circumstantial, EXCEPT for the “I’m not involved in that any more” quote, which might simply be an old man saying ANYTHING to get you to go away and leave him alone.

Anyway, I hope some good comes of all this; I hope it stimulates more debate on personal privacy and the role of journalists in our “pan-opticon” world.